When vehicles such as automobiles are left in the sun for extended periods of time, several parts of the interior of the vehicle such as the seat, seat back and steering wheel become very hot, making the vehicle uncomfortable to operate. The seat becomes too hot to sit in, and the steering wheel cannot be grasped.
This problem is particularly acute with fleets of automobiles owned by rental agencies in the southern parts of the United States, and other warm climate areas. The vehicles normally sit in the hot sun all day long until they are rented, and the renter may be forced to operate an air conditioning system in the vehicle for several minutes before the seat and steering wheel cool down. This adds to the expense of operating the vehicle. Or the operator may be forced to drive with the windows open for a great length of time to cool down the interior of the car. This may cause an inconvenience if the vehicle contains material which may be blown away by the air moving through the open windows. In addition, the operator's hair and clothing may become mussed while driving with the windows open.
It is a primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a one-piece protective cover which simultaneously fits over the seat, seat back, and steering wheel of a vehicle to prevent these parts of the vehicle's interior from getting hot when the vehicle is left standing in the sun.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for the steering wheel, seat, and seat back of a vehicle which can be removed from the steering wheel while remaining in place on the seat and seat back, whereby the portion of the cover removed from the steering wheel will not obstruct in any way the safe operation of the controls for the vehicle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a one-piece cover for simultaneously protecting the steering wheel, seat and seat back of a vehicle from the heat of the sun, and which can be imprinted with advertising material to provide an inexpensive promotional give-away item for a business organization such as a car rental agency or the like.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for protecting the steering wheel, seat, and seat back of a vehicle from heating up when the vehicle is left standing in the sun, and which also can be utilized to prevent the steering wheel, seat, and seat back from becoming excessively and uncomfortably cold when the vehicle is left standing in cold weather for prolonged periods of time, particularly if the vehicle is equipped with leather seats.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily understood with reference to the following summary of the invention, brief description of the drawings, and description of the preferred embodiment.